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金丝雀王子（第5页）

saidthewitch，"

andIllhelpyou."

Sheknockedatthedoorandhandedtheladies-in-waitingabigoldbookwithyellow，smudgypages，sayingitwasagifttotheprincesssotheyoungladycouldpassthetimereading.Theladiestookittothegirl，whoopeneditatonceandread:"

Thisisamagicbook.Turnthepagesforward，andthemanbecomesabird;turnthemback，andthebirdbecomesamanoncemore."

Thegirlrantothewindow，placedthebookonthesill，andturnedthepagesingreathastewhilewatchingtheyouthinyellowstandinginthepath.Movinghisarms，hewassoonflappingwingsandchangedintoacanary，dressedinyellowashewas.Uphesoaredabovethetreetopsandheadedstraightforthewindow，comingtorestonthecushionedsill.Theprincesscouldntresistpickingupthebeautifulcanaryandkissinghim;thenrememberinghewasayoungman，sheblushed.Butonsecondthoughtshewasntashamedatallandmadehastetoturnhimbackintoayouth.Shepickedupthebookandthumbedbackwardthroughit;thecanaryruffledhisyellowfeathers，flappedhiswings，thenmovedarmsandwasoncemoretheyouthdressedinyellowwiththehuntersleggings，whokneltbeforeher，declaring，"

Iloveyou!"

Bythetimetheyfinishedconfessingalltheirloveforoneanother，itwasevening.Slowly，theprincessleafedthroughthebook.Lookingintohereyestheyouthturnedbackintoacanary，perchedonthewindowsill，thenontheeaves，thentrustingtothewind，flewdowninwidearcs，lightingonthelowerlimbofatree.Atthat，sheturnedthepagesbackinthebookandthecanarywasaprinceoncemorewhojumpeddown，whistledforhisdogs，threwakisstowardthewindow，andcontinuedalongthetrailoutofsight.Soeverydaythepageswereturnedforwardtobringtheprinceflyinguptothewindowatthetopofthetower，thenturnedbackwardtorestorehishumanform，thenforwardagaintoenablehimtoflyaway，andfinallybackwardforhimtogethome.Neverintheirwholelifehadthetwoyoungpeopleknownsuchhappiness.Onedaythequeencalledonherstepdaughter.Shewalkedabouttheroom，saying，"

Youreallright，arentyou?Iseeyoureatrifleslimmer，butthatscertainlynocauseforconcern，isit?Itstrue，isntit，youveneverfeltbetter?"

Asshetalked，shecheckedtoseethateverythingwasinplace.Sheopenedthewindowandpeeredout.Herecametheprinceinyellowalongthetrailwithhisdogs."

Ifthissillygirlthinkssheisgoingtoflirtatthewindow，"

saidthestepmothertoherself，"

shehasanotherthoughtcomingtoher."

Shesentthegirlforaglassofwaterandsomesugar，thenhurriedlyremovedfiveorsixhairpinsfromherownhairandconcealedtheminthepillowwiththesharppointsstickingstraightup."

Thatwillteachhertoleanonthewindowsill!"

Thegirlreturnedwiththewaterandsugar，butthequeensaid，"

Oh，Imnolongerthirsty;youdrinkit，mydear!Imustbegettingbacktoyourfather.Youdontneedanything，doyou?Well，goodbye."

Andshewasoff.Assoonasthequeenscarriagewasoutofsight，thegirlhurriedlyflippedoverthepagesofthebook，theprinceturnedintoacanary，flewtothewindow，andstruckthepillowlikeanarrow.Heinstantlyletoutashrillcryofpain.Theyellowfeatherswerestainedwithblood;thecanaryhaddriventhepinsintohisbreast.Herosewithaconvulsiveflapping，trustedhimselftothewind，descendedinirregulararcs，andlitonthegroundwithoutstretchedwings.Thefrightenedprincess，notyetfullyawareofwhathadhappened，quicklyturnedthepagesbackinthehopetherewouldbenowoundswhenheregainedhishumanform.Alas，theprincereappeareddrippingbloodfromthedeepstabsthathadrenttheyellowgarmentonhischest，andlaybacksurroundedbyhisdogs.Atthehowlingofthedogs，theotherhunterscametohisaidandcarriedhimoffonastretcherofbranches，buthedidntsomuchasglanceupatthewindowofhisbeloved，whowasstilloverwhelmedwithgriefandfright.Backathispalace，theprinceshowednopromiseofrecovery，nordidthedoctorsknowwhattodoforhim.Thewoundsrefusedtohealover，andconstantlyhurt.Hisfatherthekingpostedproclamationsoneverystreetcornerpromisingafortunetoanyonewhocouldcurehim，butnotasoulturneduptotry.Theprincessmeanwhilewasconsumedwithlongingforherlover.Shecuthersheetsintothinstripswhichshetiedonetotheotherinalong，longrope.Thenonenightsheletherselfdownfromthehightowerandsetoutonthehunterstrail.Butbecauseofthethickdarknessandthehowlsofthewolves，shedecidedtowaitfordaylight.Findinganoldoakwithahollowtrunk，shenestledinsideand，inherexhaustion，fellasleepatonce.Shewokeupwhileitwasstillpitch-dark，undertheimpressionshehadheardawhistle.Listeningclosely，sheheardanotherwhistle，thenathirdandafourth，afterwhichshesawfourcandleflamesadvancing.Theywerefourwitchescomingfromthefourcornersoftheearthtotheirappointedmeetingunderthattree.Throughacrackinthetrunktheprincess，unseenbythem，spiedonthefourcronescarryingcandlesandsneeringawelcometooneanother:"

Ah，ah，ah!"

Theylitabonfireunderthetreeandsatdowntowarmthemselvesandroastacoupleofbatsfordinner.Whentheyhadeatentheirfill，theybeganaskingoneanotherwhattheyhadseenofinterestoutintheworld."

IsawthesultanofTurkey，whoboughthimselftwentynewwives."

"

IsawtheemperorofChina，whohaslethispigtailgrowthreeyardslong."

"

Isawthekingofthecannibals，whoatehischamberlainbymistake."

"

Isawthekingofthisregion，whohasthesicksonnobodycancure，sinceIaloneknowtheremedy."

"

Andwhatisit?"

askedtheotherwitches."

Inthefloorofhisroomisaloosetile.Alloneneedtodoisliftthetile，andthereunderneathisaphialcontaininganointmentthatwouldhealeveryoneofhiswounds."

Itwasalltheprincessinsidethetreecoulddonottoscreamforjoy.Bythistimethewitcheshadtoldoneanotheralltheyhadtosay，soeachwentherownway.Theprincessjumpedfromthetreeandsetoutinthedawnforthecity.Atthefirstsecondhanddealersshecameto，sheboughtanolddoctorsgownandapairofspectacles，andknockedattheroyalpalace.Seeingthelittledoctorwithsuchscantparaphernalia，theservantswerentgoingtolethimin，butthekingsaid，"

Whatharmcouldhedomysonwhocantbeanyworseoffthanheisnow?Lethimseewhathecando."

Theshamdoctoraskedtobeleftalonewiththesickman，andtherequestwasgranted.Findingherlovergroaningandunconsciousinhissickbed，theprincessfeltlikeweepingandsmotheringhimwithkisses.Butsherestrainedherselfbecauseoftheurgencyofcarryingoutthewitchsdirections.Shepacedupanddowntheroomuntilshesteppedonaloosetile，whichsheraisedanddiscoveredaphialofointment.Withitsherubbedtheprinceswounds，andnosoonerhadshetouchedeachonewithointmentthanthewounddisappearedcompletely.Overjoyedshecalledtheking，whocameinandsawhissonsleepingpeacefully，withthecolorbackinhischeeks，andnotraceofanyofthewounds."

Askforwhateveryoulike，doctor，"

saidtheking."

Allthewealthinthekingdomisyours."